Emergency control lever



Jan. 11 1927.

R. s. GANS EMERGENCY CONTROL LEVER FiledMay 15, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 vI I INVENTOR. fiker-Z 'azzs.

I ATTORNEY.

Jan. 11 1927.

- INVl JNTOR. flier? 5 64226.

Jan. 11,1927. 1,614,294

R. S.-GAN$ EMERGENCY CONTROL LEVER Filed May 15, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet :5v

I INVENTOR. 1903a? 5. 'ans BY I ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES.

ROBERT s. GANsfoF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

EMERGENCY CONTROL LEVER.

Application filed May 15,

This invention relates to control levers, and especially an emergencybrake lever which swings over a toothed segment. It is the object of theinvention to provide a lever in which the usual pawl or dog iscontrolled by manipulating the lever itself and without the necessity ofan additional pawl controlling rod, as is the common practice.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the lever showing thelever locked in position.

Fig. 2 shows the position of thesarne parts afterthe dog has beenreleased.

Fig. 3 showsthe position of the parts at the end of the back stroke just.before the dog is thrown back into engagement with the rack teeth. 5

Fig. 4 is a frontelevation of the parts.

Fig. 5 is a perspective of the fulcrum changing plate.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of the toggle arm.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective of the dog.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 9 isa view similar to Fig. 8, but showing the position of the partsshifted.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the modified form showing the parts instill another position.

The brake lever designated a is provided with depending end 6. Thislever, together with the auxiliary lever c is fulcrumed at the point (Ion the segment 6. A pin f bears against the forward face of thedepending end Z). When the lever is pulled back, this pin causes theauxiliary lever c to move for ward with the lower end of the main lever.The usual spring tension on the brake rod 72. always causes theauxiliary lever 0 to move back with the lower end of the brake rod.

2' designates a fulcrum changing plate which is fulcrumed on theauxiliary lever c by means of the pin This is provided with pin 70 whichprojects in the path of the heel m of the brake lever for a purpose soonto be described. This fulcrum changing plate carries a fulcrum pin awhich projects into the slot 0 of the toggle lever g.

The toggle lever is coupled up with another toggle lever T which forms adog or pawl. The knee of the toggle is found at the pin 8. Now thepurpose of the fulcrumchanging plate is to change the fulcrum n of thetoggle lever f from the top of the slot, as

1926. Serial No. 109,218.

shown in Fig. 2, to the bottom of the slot, as shown in Fig. Such achange has a very decided effect on the spring tension effort of the rodit on the toggle. In short, it reverses the spring tension effort indirection; for instance, in Fig. 1 the pull tends to keep the togglearms to the right of the center line through the two fulcrums. On theother hand, with the fulcrum n in the position shown in Fig. 3 the draftof the rod it tends to throw the knee of the toggle arms to'the left ofthe center line between the two fulcrums. In this latter position thelocking dog is released, in the other position the locking dog is helddown in engagement with the teeth of the rack, as shown in Fig 1.-However, this is a yielding stress on the dog brought about by thespring that pulls on the draft rod. It will therefore be apparent thatthis dog can be engagechor disengaged by controlling the position of thefulcrum and that by shifting this to one side or the other of the lineof draft, thedirection of pull on the toggle arms is reversed.

This shifting is controlled by manipulating the lever and by reason ofthe fulcrum changing plate. For instance, take the position shown inFig..1,1the brake lever is in the on position. lease this, one pushesforward on the brake lever, thiscauses a slight relative movementbetween the auxiliary lever 0 and the brake lever. The heel of the brakelever strikes the pin is and throws the fulcrum changing plate over lineof. draft of the rod it; that is, to the position shown in Fig. 3. Thisimmediately reverses the direction of pull of the draft .rod on thetoggle, and consequently causes the toggle arms to snap to the left.'The pull of the draft rod now tends to li-ft the dog out of the rackteeth, but due to the angle at which the teeth are set the dog is notlifted outuntil the brake lever is pulled back sufficiently to take thepull of the draft rod off of the rack teeth. The dognow immediatelyraises out of the rack teeth. This releases the lever and the same maybepushed forward to its posi v tion of non-action. However, the lever is.pushed forward preferably with decision until the heel t ofthe.fulcrum-changing-plate strikes the abutment u, this again throws thefulcrum changing plate over the line of draft, changes the direction ofpull onthe toggle, and the toggle arms again snap over center,

If it is desired-to re-.

the plate 6.

and the dog snaps into the rack teeth. This will now keep the lever fromrattling, and it will be obvious that from this position the emergencylever may be quickly pulled to the on position, the dog dragging overthe rack teeth in the usual way.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 is of amore simplified construction. In this form the lever a, which isfulcrumed to a stationary frame, has a depending end 6 which extendsbelow a plate- 0 provided with rack teeth d.

To the lower end of this lever a plate 6 is secured the lever having apin f extending through an elongated slot 9 in the plate 6. Another sloth is provided in this plate and a draft rod 91 is secured to the plateby a pin which extends through this slot. The plate 6 is shaped toprovide a dog for engagen'ient with the rack teeth on the member c.

A. fulcrum changing plate 1; is hinged to the plate 6 at Z". Thisfulcrum changing plate is cut away as at m for engagement with the pinwhich secures the draft rod to This pin which secures the draft rod tothe plate 6 is of suiiicient length to extend through the draft rod andboth plates, and it may be in the form of a bolt \i or a hardened pinprovided with holes for receiving cotter pins.

The fulcrum changing plate is also provided'with an aperture throughwhich the pin f" extends. The shape of this aperture is shown in Fig. 1,one side of the aperture having a curved surface a, and the aperture isshaped so that a projection 0 extends into one end thereof sufficientlyfor engagement with the pin 7" when the parts are in one position.

In Fig. 8 the brake lever is in on position. The center line of pull ofthe draft rod from the fulcrum 7" is indicated by the line A A, and itwill be observed that the draft rod is pulling below this line. Thistends to swing the plate 6 about its fulcrum 7', thus causing the plateto engage with the rack teeth. To release the brake, the lever is pushedforward slightly and the fulcrum pin 7'" operates on the curved surfacen of the plate 74. This swings the plate is around the hinge Z and thusraises the pin j to the upper end of the slot h to the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 8. The draft of the brake now tends to swing theplate 6 around the fulcrum f so as to disengage it from the rack teeth.This is prevented by the angle of the rack teeth and the brake is stillon. The lever is now pulled back sufficiently to take the pull of thedraft rod, and to release the rack teeth of this pull, whereupon theplate 6 snaps downwardly and out of engagement with the rack teeth. Inthis position the pin f is received below the projection 0. The lever isnow allowed to move forwardly and the brake is released. 7

The brake lever may be allowed to move forwardly with decision or may beallowed to spring forwardly by the spring action of the draft rod. Ineither case the fulcrum is changed when the brake lever reaches the endof its forward movement. This is accomplished automatically, asindicated in Fig. 10. The plate 0 is positioned immedi at-ely above thetwo plates 6 and 7c, and the plates are moved from right to left in Fig.10 the upper surface of the plate is strikes the plate a. This moves theplate Z around its hinge and auses the pin 7" to move t the bottom ofthe slot it. At the same time the pin moves above the pro jection 0, itbeing understood that the downward movement of the plate 70 issufficient to cause the fulcrum f to move around the projection 0 withmore or less of asnap. The rack teeth are now engaged by the dog plateand the spring tension of the draft rod prevents the parts fromrattling. Also the parts are in position to again be operated, and allthat is necessary is for the operator to pull back on the lever.

It is important that the construction be such that the brake cannot beaccidentally released. the draft rod is pulling from the bottom of thisslot, and as heretofor set forth, a movement of the pin j to the upwardend of the slot. would release the brake. occur accidentally by reasonof the fact that the projection 0 engages the pin 7. This positivelyprevents rotation of the fulcrum changing plate 70 about its hinge Z andthe pin 7" is thus positively held in the lowermost part of the slot it.

So far as I am aware, it is broadly new to provide a control for thisdog which may be automatically exer iced by manipulating the operatinglever, so I desire to have it understood that I claim this broadly,irrespective of the particular devices by which manipulation of thelever causes the pawl to be controlled.

l Vhat I claim is:

1. In a control device, a lever, a rack, a draft rod, a member forengagement with the rack for positioning the lever, and means forutilizing the pull of the draft rod to cause the said member to engageor disengage the rack.

2. In a control device, a lever, a rack, a draft rod, a member forengagement with the rack for positioning the lever, and means operableby manipulation of the lever for utilizing the pull of the draft rod tocause the said member to engage or disengage the rack.

33. In a control device, a lever, a rack, a draft rod, a member forengagement with the rack for positioning the lever, and means Thiscannot In the on position in Fig. 1

for shifting the line of pull of a draft rod to cause the said member toengage or disengage the rack.

at. A control lever having in combination a rack, a lever fulcrumedadjacent the rack, a dog pivotally connected with the lever and arrangedto ride-freely over the rack in one direction, but to lock in theopposite direction, and devices for controlling the dog by themanipulation of the lever, comprising an auxiliary lever fulcrumed withfirst lever and carrying said dog'and members which snap the dog in orout of engagement with the ratchet teeth when the lever is movedrelatively to the auxiliary lever 5. A control lever having incombination a rack, a lever fulcrumed adjacent the rack, a dog pivotallyconnected with the lever and arranged to ride freely over the rack inone direction, but to lock in the opposite direction, and devices forcontrolling the dog by the manipulation of the lever, comprising anauxiliary lever on which the said dog is pivoted, and snap-over centermembers which are arranged to snap the dog into or out of engagementwith the teeth of the rack when the main lever is moved relatively tothe auxiliary lever.

6. A control lever having in combination a rack, a lever fulcrumedadjacent the rack, a dog pivotally connected with the lever and arrangedto ride freely over the rack in one direction, but to lock in theopposite direc tion, and devices for controlling the dog by themanipulation of the lever, comprising an auxiliary lever on which isfulcrumed the said dog and snap-over center members, and a springtensioned draft rod connected with one of the snap-over center members,the said parts being arranged so that manipulati-on'of the main leverchanges the direction of effort exercised by the draft rod on thesnap-over center members to release the dog, or press it into engagementwith the rack teeth.

7. A control lever having in combination a rack, a lever fulcrumedadjacent the rack, a dog pivotally connected with the lever and arrangedto ride freely over the rack in one direction, but to lock in theopposite direction, and devices for controlling the dog by themanipulation of the lever, comprising an auxiliary lever, the said dogpivoted on said auxiliary lever and forming one member of the toggle, asecond toggle arm pivoted on a second auxiliary lever, and afulcrum-changing-plate carrying a fulcrum pin for the said second togglearm, and a spring tensioned draft rod over the line of which the fulcrumpin of the fulcrum-changing-plate can be shifted by manipulating thesaid lever. V

8. A control lever having in combination a rack, provided with anabutment, a lever fulcrumed adjacent the rack, a dog pivotallyconnectedwiththe lever and-arranged to ride freelyover the rack in onedirection, but to lock in the opposite direction, and devices forcontrolling thedog by themanipulation of'the lever, comprising anauxiliary lever having a co-axial fulcruming with the main'lever andsusceptible of ,a limited movement with respect to the main lever, thesaid dog pivoted on said auxiliary lever and forming part of a toggle, asecond toggle arm pivoted to the dog and having a slot and afulcrum-changing-plate pivoted to the auxiliary lever andhaving a pinengaged in the slot of the second toggle arm, a spring tensioned draftarm connected to the second toggle arm, and over the line of draft ofwhich the fulcrum pin can be shifted by movement of the fulcrum platecaused either by independent movement of the main lever with respect tothe auxiliary lever and by striking the abutment at the end of the rack.

9. A control lever having in combination a pivoted lever, a rack, a dogconnected to the lever for engagement with the rack, a draft rodconnected to the dog, and means for changing the line of pull of thedraft rod on the dogwhereby the dog is caused to engage or disengage therack.

10. A control lever, having incombination a pivoted lever, a rack, a dogfulcrumed to the lever for engagement with the rack, a draft rodconnected to the dog, the connection being such that the pull of the rodon the dog causes the dog to rotate around its fulcrum, and meansoperable by the movement of the lever for determining the direction ofrotation of the dog as caused by the pull of the draftrod.

11. A control lever having in combination a pivoted lever, a rack, a dogfulcrumed to the lever forengagement with the rack, a draft rod; movablyconnected to the dog, this movable connection permitting the pull of thedraft rod to be exerted on opposite sides of the normal center line ofpull, thereby tending to rotate the dog around its fulcrum, and meansoperable by the movement of the lever to change the pull of the draftrod from one side of the center line to the other.

12. A control lever having in combination a pivoted lever, a rack, a dogfulcrumed to the lever for engagement with the rack, a draft rodmovablyconnected to the dog, this movable connection permitting the pull of thedraft rod to be exerted on opposite sides of the normal center line ofpull, thereby tending to rotate the dog around its fulcrum, acontrolling member for controlling this movable connection between thedraft rod and the dog, and means on the lever for governing thecontrolling action of this controlling member.

13. A control lever having in combinalit) tion a pivoted lever, a rack,a dog fulcrumed to the lever for engagement With the rack,

ment when the dog is in engagement With the rack.

14. In a control device, a lever, a draft rod connected to the lever andoperable thereby, locking means for locking the lever in given positionswhich is controlled by the pull of the draft rod, and means operable tocause the pull of the draft rod to lock or unlock the said lockingmeans.

ill

Intestimony whereof I have affixed my signature. 7

ROBERT S. GANS.

